Grilling Basics

Grilling is one of the most exciting ways to enjoy beef. Whether cooking on a gas or charcoal grill, in the backyard or at a tailgate, this cooking method provides maximum flavor and optimal tenderness.

It's Grilling Season

America has spoken—and they’re ready for beef to hit their grills this season. With endless preparation methods (indirect, direct or smoking) and grill preferences, there’s a delicious recipe for everyone to enjoy at your summer barbeque.

Together our inclusive guide will help you master outdoor cooking and wow your guests! Beef's versatility, our doneness and cooking tips, and recipes will make your backyard cookout a success.

So, fire up the grill, and together, let's make summer sizzle with beef!

Master the basics! Grilling is a popular method for preparing steak- it's well known for no-fuss clean-up and that smoky, grilled flavor no other cooking method can mimic. If you're not an expert griller, don't worry! Follow our steps and you’ll find grilling easy and—most importantly—very satisfying. Check out our grilling guidelines for cook time information.

PREP PAYS OFF

Some grill experts emphasize the importance of bringing steaks to room temperature before grilling, but we don’t recommend it for food safety reasons. Likewise, our cooking chart is based on the meat going directly from chill to grill. So plan on pulling the meat from the fridge, seasoning well, and getting started right away.

FIRE IT UP

Make sure your grill grate is clean. If you’re using charcoal, follow the directions for how much you’ll need and how to build the charcoal pile. For gas grills, refer to your owner’s manual and set the grill to medium.

GRILL, BABY, GRILL

Use an instant-read thermometer to monitor doneness, and let it go—don’t flip the steaks so much! One flip is usually all you need, but take care to avoid charring or burning and be ready to turn down the heat (or move to a cooler spot on the grill) if necessary. Keep in mind the internal temperature will continue to rise for a few minutes after coming off the grill.

REST & RELAX

Here’s another step novice cooks often overlook: resting the meat before serving—even if you’re hungry. It’s seriously worth the wait, because it prevents all those tasty juices from draining onto your plate. For most grill-friendly cuts, about five minutes is enough.

FINISHING TOUCHES

If you're slicing the steak before serving, be sure to cut across the grain to maximize tenderness.

THREE STEPS TO THE PERFECT GRILLED steak

THREE STEPS TO THE PERFECT GRILLED BURGER

INDIRECT GRILLING BASICS

Indirect grilling requires little hands-on attention, but gives you maximum flavor. It's like slow cooking, but on the grill!

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OUTDOOR COOKING BASICS

Whether you’re at the pre-game tailgate, a picnic in the park, camping in the deep woods or just having a neighborhood block party, preparing and cooking food outside of the kitchen can be an exciting and delicious experience. Learn the tips and tricks to having a tasty, safe and properly cooked meal in the great outdoors.

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SMOKING BASICS

To many who appreciate the art of smoking meat, it’s referred to as “barbecue,” “bar-b-q,” or just simply as “BBQ.” But by any name, this timeless technique delivers richly-flavored, luxuriously tender results.

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cooking tip

Don't forget to marinate! Tender beef cuts can be marinated for 15 minutes to 2 hours for flavor; less tender cuts, such as Flank Steak, should be marinated for 6 hours, but not more than 24 hours.

Glossary

Grain

Although grain can be an important part of raising beef, in this case it refers to the direction of the muscle fibers in a cut of meat. Slicing "across the grain" means slicing perpendicular to the direction of the fibers, which helps make the meat easier to chew.

cooking tip

It’s not a good idea to cut into a steak to see if it’s done— you risk drying out the meat and color is not a reliable indicator of doneness. Use a meat thermometer, inserted into the center of the steak, to determine doneness.